Chana Masala

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a Palak Paneer recipe from the dinner party that my 12 year old and his friends hosted (and cooked for) at our house.

As promised here is another main course from the party- Chana Masala.

I thought about recooking it and taking better pictures, but Chana Masala is a pretty common and simple dish. It does not need to be too dressed up. It’s more about the flavor than the looks. The kids, who not only cooked but were responsible for the presentation of the food, thought my favorite red Le Creuset dutch oven in which they cooked the Chana Masala was attractive enough to serve it too. So, here it is in all its un-photoshopped glory.

Almost every Indian restaurant in this country has Chana Masala on its menu. There are many variations of it. As with all Indian food, there is no single right way to make it.

Serving suggestions-

1- Traditional: serve with rice and naan.

2- Fusion: Similar to my Pasta e Ceci recipe, add about 8 ounces of small tubular pasta (ditalini) to the Chana Masala and serve.

Before you start cooking get all the ingredients prepped. Dice/chop the vegetables and herbs. There are a lot of spices used. Combine the turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin powder, cayenne, salt in a small cup and set aside.